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Lipidomics Shared Resource (LSR) at MUSC represents the only scientific shared resource of its kind; providing service to the Medical University of South Carolina, medical institutions throughout the world in addition to pharmaceutical companies. LSR is composed of synthetic and analytical units providing expertise, mentoring, synthetic molecular tools and analytical methodology to study significance of bioactive sphingolipids. The Lipidomics Shared Resource builds on unique expertise at MUSC in sphingolipid biology, chemistry and analysis and their role in signal transduction and cell regulation. This expertise supports the facility's pivotal role in MUSC's COBRE in Lipidomics and Pathobiology. Sphingolipid metabolism assumes a key role in the complex mechanisms regulating cellular stress responses to environmental changes. Sphingolipids are recognized as a key components regulating fundamental cell biology processes acting as modulators for transmembrane signaling and mediators for cellular interaction. Diversity of bioactive sphingolipids and their interconnected metabolism provide a network of pathways regulating intra- and inter-cellular signaling and function. Key sphingolipid metabolites: ceramides (Cer), sphingosine (Sph) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), act as bioactive molecules that mediate and/or regulate various cell responses including cell growth, cell death, inflammation, cell migration, and cell senescence. Dysfunctions in the metabolism of these sphingolipids contribute to pathology of diseases. To understand how sphingolipids biosynthesis and turnover regulate cell behavior, it is essential to determine the levels of these bioactive molecules in order to examine their effects on cell function. This emphasizes the needs to analyze sphingolipid components, examine sphingolipid chemistry and regulation of sphingolipid metabolic pathways. Monitoring changes in sphingolipid composition under normal and disease environments may provide one of the missing links in the search for a novel and effective therapy.The Lipidomics Shared Resource focuses on five key areas:
Download new order form PDF The Lipidomics Analytical Core performs qualitative (compound identification) and quantitative analysis of ~ 100 different sphingolipid molecular species from biological materials (cells, tissue, serum) including basal levels and changes occurring in pathologic states and in response to the exogenous treatment. Currently, fifteen different types of analyses are provided. Analytical approaches are based on the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and supercritical fluid chromatography- mass spectrometry (SFC-MS/MS) methodologies. These very sensitive and specific analytical methodologies can be applied to a broad spectrum of diversified chemical compositions of sphingolipids. The Lipidomics Analytical Core is located in Rooms 505 and 506C of the MUSC Children Research Institute. Please click Services and Prices to view the analyses currently offered by this subcore. Download new order form PDF The Lipidomics Synthetic Core provides homogenic synthetic sphingolipids and their analogs for use in cellular, in vitro and in vivo studies. Services include total synthesis of natural sphingolipids (4 isomers for each sphingolipid) from the chiral precursors; design and synthesis of various inhibitors of sphingolipid metabolizing enzymes; design and synthesis of organelle-targeted ceramides and inhibitors of sphingolipid metabolizing enzymes; design and synthesis of molecular tools for metabolic studies: radiolabeled, fluorescent and 17C sphingolipids (containing an unnatural 17C-sphingoid backbone); design and synthesis of molecular tools for determination of enzymatic activities including radiolabeled sphingolipids and analogs, fluorescent sphingolipids and analogs, and 17C sphingolipids. The Lipidomics Core Facility is located in Rooms 747 and 748 of the MUSC Basic Science Building. Please click Services and Prices to view the lipids currently provided by this subcore.
These instruments use dual ionization mode: electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). |
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